Now let's take a look at which apps and online language courses are best suited for learning Vietnamese. The biggest advantage of such apps is that they are much cheaper than long traditional language courses.
Mondly Vietnamese App
Best Alternative to Duolingo or Babbel
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Students, Travel
Content: Vietnamese vocabulary trainer (5000 words), playful exercises, grammar
Prices: Free (initial lessons), USD 9.99 (1 month and 1 language), USD 47.99 (12 months and access to all 41 languages)
Discount offer: USD 99 (Lifetime Access to all 41 Languages)
Overall Value: 
The Mondly App lets you learn the Vietnamese language in a playful way with a series of interactive exercises.
There are over 1000 lessons in total and 5000 Vietnamese words spoken by native speakers in the vocabulary trainer.
You can freely choose which of the 40 topics you want to learn and in what order, including Vietnamese grammar and verb conjugations.
In addition, there is a Vietnamese conversation trainer (speech recognition) for the most common types of conversations in everyday life.
Mondly has around 45 million users worldwide. This language course has the advantage of having 41 source languages and 41 target languages.
Summary: Mondly is very similar to the Babbel and Duolingo apps and is just as good in terms of quality (Babbel does not have a Vietnamese course).
Link:
Mondly Vietnamese App and Online Course
Vietnamese Basic Course
From 17 Minute Languages
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS)
Suitable for: Beginners and Advanced Learners, Students, Professionals
Content: 1300 words (basic course), 5200 words (complete course), grammar, verb conjugations, exercises
Prices: USD 29,95 (Basic Course), USD 97 (Complete Course)
Overall Value:
The Vietnamese Basic Course consists of a vocabulary trainer for the Vietnamese basics (1300 words) with native-speaker audio, as well as grammar explanations and various exercises.
The vocabulary trainer works with a long-term memory method, in which the new vocabulary is checked at increasing intervals.
You can choose between text input, multiple choice or simply confirming whether you knew a word or not.
The exercises include text comprehension questions, filling in word gaps or just vocabulary lists where the English or Vietnamese side is covered.
The basic course corresponds to the official language levels A1 and A2 (explanation of CEFR language levels).
The Complete Course contains:
- Basic course for beginners (basic vocabulary with 1300 words)
- Intermediate course (1800 more words)
- Advanced course for experts (2100 words)
- Additional specialized vocabulary
- Covers the official CEFR language levels A1 to C2
Summary: Much cheaper and even better than the famous Rosetta Stone. There is a free demo version available and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Link: Vietnamese Basic Course and Complete Course
Lingodeer Vietnamese App
Learning Vietnamese for Beginners
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio and speech recognition, grammar
Prices: USD 12 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months), USD 99 (unlimited)
Overall Value: 
The Lingodeer App is somewhat similar to Duolingo or Babbel, but has a more extensive list of features:
- Vietnamese native-speaker audio for each word and speech recognition to practice the correct pronunciation.
- You can even choose between different speakers.
- 200+ lessons, vocabulary trainer, exercises, quizzes.
- Very good grammar explanations, significantly better than in many other apps such as Duolingo or Rosetta Stone.
- Suitable for beginners and intermediate level learners (A1-B1).
- User community (native speakers) can give pronunciation feedback.
- You can download the app and use it offline.
The use of playful exercises and "achievements" ("gamification") is supposed to make Vietnamese learning more interesting and motivating.
Summary: The Lingodeer App impresses with excellent grammar lessons and speech recognition. However, this app has lessons only for beginners and intermediate level learners.
Memrise Vietnamese App
App with User-Generated Lessons
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Vietnamese lessons and vocabulary trainer with native speaker audio, grammar
Prices: USD 8,99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months), USD 110 (unlimited)
Overall Value: 
With the Memrise App you can learn over 90 languages.
This includes even very small languages - however, in such cases the language courses are often limited to just a few lessons.
One special feature of the Memrise learning app is the large number of lessons created by users (native speakers).
However, the quality of these lessons varies greatly. For example, only the basic forms of verbs are usually taught, without the conjugations. Some languages also do not have an audio recording of the words at all.
Another good idea of the Memrise app are the user-generated tips and mnemonics for each word to help you memorize them.
Summary: User-generated lessons are a good idea. In practice, the quality of the lessons leaves a lot be desired.
Ling Vietnamese App
Gamified Language Learning
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Vietnamese lessons and exercises
Prices: USD 8.99 (1 month), USD 42 (12 months),
USD 110 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
The Master Ling App offers language lessons for 52 languages and is quite similar to famous apps like Duolingo, Babbel or Mondly.
This Vietnamese learning app is based on "gamified learning", which means learning a foreign language in a playful way. There are mini-games, experience points, levels, quizzes and exercises.
Grammar explanations are not included and the vocabulary is limited to only 1000 Vietnamese words and phrases. Each word and phrase has recorded native speaker audio and pictures.
Unfortunately, the translations are also often inaccurate or wrong, for which the app even has an error reporting button.
This app also has an entry test to determine your Vietnamese proficiency level.
Summary: Good ideas, but rather poor implementation and not enough vocabulary to justify this price.
Duolingo Vietnamese App
Well-Known Language Learning App
Systems: Android App, iOS App, PC and Mac
Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: Free (with ads), USD 12.99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months)
Overall Value:
The Duolingo App offers beginner language courses for 36 languages, including Vietnamese. Duolingo covers mostly the basics as well as some intermediate level Vietnamese vocabulary.
The major drawback of Duolingo (just like Rosetta Stone) is that there are no grammar explanations.
The vocabulary learning with Duolingo is "gamified", which means it is structured like a game with levels, experience points, achievements, etc.
The interface is relatively similar to the apps from Babbel and Mondly.
Summary: The vocabulary trainer and the exercises of the program are okay. However, it is not possible to learn Vietnamese grammar with this app.
uTalk Vietnamese App
Bland and Uninspired
Systems: Android App, iPhone App
Content: Vietnamese lessons and exercises
Prices: 10,99 USD (1 month and 140 languages), USD 40 (1 language unlimited)
Overall Value: 
The uTalk Vietnamese Learning App for Android and iOS teaches about 2000 words (no grammar) and relies exclusively on playful exercises.
The 6 exercises are always the same: Memory games with pictures, matching the heard Vietnamese word to a picture, etc.
Difficult Vietnamese words or phrases can be stored in a phrasebook.
This app contains words and example sentences on 60 topics for 140 languages (with native speaker audio).
The monthly subscription provides access to all languages. Alternatively, this Vietnamese app lets you buy unlimited access for individual languages.
Summary: 140 languages on offer sounds impressive, but the content is very limited. There is no grammar and the 6 exercises are rather repetitive.
Drops Vietnamese App
Alternative to Babbel and Duolingo
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Vietnamese lessons and exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: USD 13.30 (1 month), USD 72 (12 months), USD 164 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
The Language Drops App is most notable for having 47 target languages and 40 source languages, similar to Mondly.
You can learn about 3000 Vietnamese words and phrases with this app. However, there are hardly any exercises, except for introducing a new word and matching the word to a picture.
You can choose from which topics you want to learn new words and at what skill level you want to learn (whether you know the language somewhat).
If you want to try the app for free for two weeks you have to provide your payment information and then cancel it.
The "deal" you get when you sign up for the free trial is more than 3 times as expensive as when you click "Get Premium" on the website (USD 38 per month instead of USD 13.30 per month).
Summary: No variety, no grammar and only 3000 words. Does not justify the higher price, even though you get access to all languages.
Simya Vietnamese App
Not really recommended
Systems: Android App, iPhone App
Content: Vocabulary trainer for Vietnamese learning
Prices: USD 9,99 (1000 words), USD 59 (1000 words in 50 languages)
Overall Value:
The Simya App for Android and iOS is purely a vocabulary trainer for 50 languages, including Vietnamese.
The free version contains 300 words and has very frequent "ad breaks". The paid version (without ads) also contains only 1000 words and phrases.
All the words have native speaker audio and you can use the app offline too.
Vietnamese grammar and verb conjugations are not included in this app.
Summary: Not really worth it, as there are much better alternatives like Mondly, Rosetta Stone or even Duolingo.
Pimsleur Vietnamese App
Beginner Course for a Premium Price
Systems: PC and Mac (incl. Mobile App)
Suitabe for: Beginners, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Vietnamese vocabulary, lessons with native-speaker audio and voice recognition
Price: USD 120 (Beginner course download)
Overall Value:
The Pimsleur App is very similar to Rosetta Stone (Rosetta Stone does not have a Vietnamese course) in that it does not give grammar explanations, verb conjugation tables, etc.
Instead, the Pimsleur method is supposed to let you learn the Vietnamese language intuitively, just like your native language - by combining pictures, reading and speaking (speech recognition).
This Vietnamese learning course for PCs and Macs also includes a mobile app for Android and iOS systems.
Summary: The most expensive Vietnamese basics course, even though it is unlikely that learning with it is much better than with the cheaper apps.
Overview of the Vietnamese Learning Apps:
| Learning App |
Subscrip-
tion? |
Price |
Systems |
Value |
17 Minutes
(Basics) |
No |
$29 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
17 Minutes
(Complete) | No | $97 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Mondly | No | $99 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Mondly |
Yes
(1 month) |
$10 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Mondly | Yes
(12 months) | $48 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Lingodeer | No | $99 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Lingodeer | Yes
(1 month) | $12 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Lingodeer | Yes
(12 months) | $60 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Duolingo |
Yes
(1 month) |
$13 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Duolingo |
Yes
(12 months) |
$60 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Memrise |
Yes
(1 month) |
$9 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Memrise |
Yes
(12 months) |
$60 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Memrise |
No |
$110 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Master Ling |
No |
$110 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Master Ling |
Yes
(1 month) |
$9 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Master Ling |
Yes
(12 months) |
$42 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Drops |
No |
$164 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Drops |
Yes
(1 month) |
$13 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Drops |
Yes
(12 months) |
$72 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk |
No |
$40 |
Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk | Yes
(1 month) | $11 |
Android, iOS |
|
Simya
(1 language) |
No |
$10 |
Android, iOS |
|
Simya
(50 languages) |
No |
$59 |
Android, iOS |
|
Pimsleur
(Basics) |
No |
$120 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
